Far-flung areas: NA body asks PTA to ensure better telecom service delivery, coverage

While expressing concern on poor coverage of telecom services in the far-flung areas, a parliamentary panel has asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to take necessary regulatory steps to ensure improvement of telecom service delivery and coverage in far-flung areas of the country.

The committee meeting chaired by Syed Amin-ul-Haque on Wednesday also directed PTA for taking strict action to deal with the menace of hate speech and religious intolerance on social media.

The PTA gave a detailed briefing to the committee on its regulatory mechanism and future initiatives and informed that regulator is actively pursuing its role as regulator in the telecommunication sector.

The committee was informed that Pakistan has 300,000 Twitter subscribers. The material is being monitored in cooperation with 32 institutions and PTA has blocked 903,000 websites carrying hate speech and pornography materials.

MNA Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur proposed that restrictions on social media will be counterproductive. MNA Ali Nawaz Awan said that social media in Pakistan was uncontrolled and unregulated. The chairman PTA said the government was working on the Data Protection Act for social media.

Responding to a query of the members, the senior officials of the PTA maintained that authority had been trying to ensure effective telecom services in far-flung areas and Universal Support Fund (USF) is being used for that purpose. The PTA assured the committee that it would take up the issue of telecom services through USF in Balochistan and erstwhile FATA districts.

The meeting was also told that installation of mobile towers, especially in the residential areas, was allowed after a stringent process of verification and compliance with the universal health and safety standards.

The committee asked the PTA to take appropriate measures against those involved in depriving people of their money through frauds being carried out through mobile phones. The meeting was also informed that there was 70 percent increase in mobile devices assembly, which would ultimately result in their manufacturing in Pakistan.

The committee recommended for developing standard operation procedure (SOP) for disposal of cases of deputation in the federal government's department under wedlock policy. The committee directed Federal Public Service Commission to conclude inquiry into the alleged unauthorized amendment in FPSC rules within six weeks.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Ali Muhammad Khan, Ali Nawaz Awan, Aamir Talal Gopang, Muhammad Aslam Khan, Uzma Riaz, Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, and Mohsin Dawar, additional secretary Establishment Division, chairman PTA, secretary FPSC and senior officers of the concerned departments.